A story on MCV with a quote in the headline (which isn't in the article itself) stating "Valve monopoly is killing PC market," reports they understand "that at least two big-name digital retailers are facing financial difficulties as they struggle to compete" with Steam. "I've fought hard for my customer, and never before have I had to give my customers away. Steam is killing the PC market and it is no wonder digital retailers are failing," says the director of a Steam rival. "Steam is locking down the market." In a separate report they also discuss retailer dissatisfaction with Steam's dominance of the marketplace, which insiders tell them amounts to 80% of PC downloadable games. Since this competes with online sales initiatives by retailers, they say at least two major U.K. merchants will demand that publishers remove Steam integration from their games or they will refuse to sell them. With PC game sales at retail stores in steady decline, it seems an odd moment for these stores to flex their atrophying muscle, but they quote the head of sales at a big-name digital service provider saying: "At the moment the big digital distributors need to stock games with Steam. But the power resides with bricks and mortar retailers, they can refuse to stock these titles. Publishers are hesitant, but retail must put pressure on them."

it represents how many PC gamers are throwing away what is great about our platform for some convenience. Auto-patching, DRM, account-based ownership, one platform with overlords...

I undertand your point but until retailers start selling and promotting PC games I'll use STEAM. Never like the service but I'm not going to give my hard earned $$ to stores that dedicate 99% of shelve space to console games and give PC games a small rack in an obscure corner of the store.

I feel no sympathywhat so ever! Just like game devs they need to give the people what they want!

I used to be able to go to the mall and try PC games at EB now I cant even find them cause the display area is so small.